Acoustic-communication
Guides
Acheta domesticus
House Cricket, European House Cricket
Acheta domesticus, the house cricket, is a widely distributed cricket species likely native to Southwestern Asia but now found globally through human commerce. The species has been kept in captivity since at least the 1700s and is considered highly domesticated. It serves as the primary cricket species in the global pet food industry, raised as feed for reptiles, amphibians, birds, and arthropods. The species has been severely impacted by Acheta domesticus Densovirus (AdDNV), a highly virulent and environmentally resistant pathogen that has caused widespread mortality in commercial breeding facilities and driven industry shifts toward alternative cricket species.
Achroia grisella
Lesser Wax Moth
Achroia grisella, the lesser wax moth, is a pyralid moth and pest of honey bee colonies worldwide. It is smaller and less destructive than the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella), primarily infesting weak or abandoned honey bee colonies where larvae feed on beeswax, pollen, honey, and brood cappings. The species has a worldwide distribution in temperate and tropical regions where honey bees are kept, and its spread has been facilitated by human-mediated transport of beekeeping equipment. Adults are small grayish moths with distinctive yellow heads. The species is notable for its unusually simple directional ear, which enables acoustic localization for both predator avoidance and mate finding.
Ageroniini
Ageroniini is a tribe of butterflies within the subfamily Biblidinae (Nymphalidae), commonly known as the tropical brushfoots. The tribe includes genera such as Ageronia and Hamadryas, species of which are known for their rapid, erratic flight patterns and often cryptic underside wing patterns that resemble dead leaves. Members of this tribe are primarily Neotropical in distribution.
Amblycorypha
Round-headed Katydids, False Katydids, Bush-crickets
Amblycorypha is a genus of North American round-headed katydids in the family Tettigoniidae, containing approximately 14 described species. These insects are renowned for their exceptional leaf-mimicry, with wing venation closely matching the vein patterns of leaves. They are known for their acoustic communication, with males producing songs via stridulation to attract females. Some species reach prodigious sizes in tropical regions, and males provide nuptial gifts to females during mating.
Amblycorypha bartrami
Bartram's round-winged katydid
Amblycorypha bartrami, commonly known as Bartram's round-winged katydid, is a species of phaneropterine katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. The species was described by Walker in 2003 and is found in North America. As a member of the genus Amblycorypha, it belongs to a group known for their remarkable leaf-mimicking camouflage and acoustic communication through stridulation.
Amblycorypha insolita
Big Bend Oblong-winged Katydid, Big Bend False Katydid
Amblycorypha insolita is a species of phaneropterine katydid in the family Tettigoniidae, first described by Rehn & Hebard in 1914. Known as the Big Bend oblong-winged katydid or Big Bend false katydid, this species is endemic to the southwestern United States and adjacent northeastern Mexico. It belongs to a genus renowned for exceptional camouflage and acoustic communication.
Amblycorypha parvipennis
Western Round-winged Katydid
Amblycorypha parvipennis, the western round-winged katydid, is a phaneropterine katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It is found in North America, with confirmed records from Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, and Missouri. Males produce calling songs for acoustic communication, a key feature of their mating behavior. The species exhibits typical katydid traits including leaf-mimicking wing venation and sound production via forewing stridulation.
Amblycorypha rivograndis
Rio Grande Valley False Katydid
Amblycorypha rivograndis is a species of round-headed katydid in the family Tettigoniidae, first described by Thomas J. Walker in 2004. The specific epithet "rivograndis" refers to the Rio Grande Valley, indicating its geographic association with this region of southern Texas and northeastern Mexico. Like other members of the genus Amblycorypha, it belongs to a group commonly known as false katydids or bush-crickets, recognized for their remarkable leaf-mimicking camouflage.
Anaxipha
Brown Sword-tail Crickets
Anaxipha is a genus of small swordtail crickets distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia, and western Pacific islands. Members are known as "brown sword-tail crickets" and are characterized by their acoustic communication systems, which in several studied species include both calling songs and previously undocumented courtship songs with substrate-borne vibrational signals (drumming). Some species occupy agricultural habitats such as rice fields, where they function as generalist predators.
Anaxipha hyalicetra
Ruby Road Trig
A sword-tailed cricket described in 2019 from southeastern Arizona near the Mexico border. It is the only North American Anaxipha species with broad, glassy tegmina. The species name 'hyalicetra' references the translucent wing membrane.
Anaxipha tinnula
Tidewater Trig
Small swordtail cricket described in 2014. Belongs to a genus of crickets distributed across eastern North America, with many species only recently described. Likely shares acoustic communication traits with congeners, including substrate-borne vibrational signaling.
Anaxipha tinnulacita
Fast-tinkling Trig
Anaxipha tinnulacita is a small swordtail cricket described in 2014 from eastern North America. Males produce both calling songs and distinct courtship songs when in the presence of females. This species exhibits substrate-borne vibrational communication through drumming behavior, which is unique among studied congeners in commonly occurring during calling songs.
Apatania
Apatania is a genus of caddisflies in the family Apataniidae comprising at least 90 described species. The genus has a Holarctic distribution, with species recorded across Europe, Asia, and North America. Several species have been studied in detail for their larval morphology, life cycles, and behavior. Some species, including A. muliebris, are known to reproduce parthenogenetically.
Aphomia
bee moth
Aphomia is a genus of small moths in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Galleriinae. Some species are nest parasites of bees and bumblebees (Anthophila), with larvae feeding on wax, honey, and pollen. Other species, such as A. gularis, are significant pests of stored agricultural products including nuts, dried fruit, and cereals. The genus exhibits diverse ecological strategies spanning parasitism of social insect nests and exploitation of stored food products.
Aphomia sociella
Bee Moth, Bumble Bee Wax Moth
Aphomia sociella, commonly known as the bee moth or bumble bee wax moth, is a small pyralid moth native to Europe that has become an economically significant pest of bee colonies. The species is notable for its unique dual-modal mating system combining sex pheromones and ultrasonic courtship songs produced by males using specialized tegular tymbals. Females lay eggs in nests of bumblebees, wasps, and occasionally weakened honeybee hives, where larvae feed on nest materials, pollen, honey, and host brood. Infestation levels increase with proximity to commercial apiaries, causing reduced host reproductive output and weakened immune responses in bumblebees.
Arphia
band-winged grasshoppers
Arphia is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae, containing at least 11 described species distributed across western North America. The genus is characterized by species with brightly colored hind wings—typically red, yellow, or orange—that are concealed at rest but displayed during flight. Several species are notable for producing audible crepitation sounds by snapping their wings together during courtship and territorial displays. Members occupy diverse grassland habitats from lowland prairies to high-elevation mountain meadows.
Bactrocera oleae
olive fruit fly, olive fly, δάκος της ελιάς
Bactrocera oleae is a tephritid fruit fly and the most destructive pest of olive cultivation worldwide. Larvae feed exclusively on olive fruits (Olea europaea), causing direct damage to pulp and oil quality. Annual crop losses can reach 30% without control, and exceed 90% in severe infestations. The species is monophagous on olives and has developed resistance to multiple insecticide classes, driving research into alternative management strategies including sterile insect technique and biological control.
Balclutha incisa
leafhopper
Balclutha incisa is a small leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, widespread in tropical and temperate regions. It is notably abundant in grasses and rice fields, where it feeds on host plants including rice (Oryza sativa) and various grasses. The species has been documented as a vector for 'Candidatus Phytoplasma solani' associated with grapevine disease 'bois noir'. Research has characterized its complex acoustic communication system, with males producing six distinct signal types and females engaging in precise duetting behavior. The species serves as host for multiple novel viruses including members of Aliusviridae, Iflaviridae, and Totiviridae families.
Beameria venosa
Aridland Cicada
Beameria venosa is one of the smallest cicada species in North America, with a body length of approximately 16 mm. It is a prairie obligate species distributed across the Great Plains from Nebraska and Colorado south to Texas and New Mexico, with additional records from Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, and Arizona. The species produces a high-frequency calling song that is audible to humans but appears to function as a predator avoidance mechanism by being inaudible to birds and lizards. It is listed as vulnerable in Missouri due to its dependence on restricted prairie habitats.
Cacama
Cactus Dodger Cicadas
Cacama is a genus of cicadas in the family Cicadidae, commonly known as "cactus dodger cicadas." The genus contains at least 12 recognized species distributed across western North America, from the southern Great Plains to California. These cicadas are notable for their association with cacti, particularly Opuntia and Cylindropuntia species, and their ability to navigate among spiny hosts without injury. The type species, Cacama valvata, has been studied for its thermal physiology and distinctive mating behaviors.
Cacama crepitans
Coastal Cactus Dodger
A medium to large cicada species commonly known as the Coastal Cactus Dodger. Males produce a loud, distinctive song described as a high-pitched metallic buzz or shrill, often delivered in short bursts. The species is closely associated with cactus hosts, particularly cholla and prickly pear, in arid and semi-arid regions. Adults are fast-flying and alert, making them challenging to approach. Females oviposit into dry, dead cactus stems rather than living tissue.
Cacama valvata
common cactus dodger
Cacama valvata, commonly known as the common cactus dodger, is a cicada species in the family Cicadidae. It is distributed across the southern Great Plains and western North America, from Texas and New Mexico west to California. The species is notable for its tight ecological association with cacti, particularly cholla (Cylindropuntia spp.) and prickly pear (Opuntia spp.), which serve as both host plants for nymphal root-feeding and perching sites for adults. Males produce a loud, distinctive song described as a high-pitched metallic zing or shrill buzz, often likened to a table saw cutting through wood. Adults are fast-flying, alert, and capable of landing on spiny cactus hosts without becoming impaled. The species has been observed engaging in courtship singing, with males approaching females while producing long, wavering shrills that transition to shorter sequences upon close approach, followed by leg touching, mounting, and copulation. Females oviposit almost exclusively in dry, dead, skeletonized cactus stems, where eggs may remain for several months awaiting fall rains to trigger hatching.
Cenocorixa
water boatmen
Cenocorixa is a genus of water boatmen (family Corixidae) comprising approximately 12 described species. These aquatic insects are notable for their specialized swimming mechanics using synchronized hind leg rowing, and for their complex acoustic communication systems involving species- and sex-specific stridulatory signals. Both males and females produce sound by rubbing specialized pegs on the fore femora against the head. The genus exhibits significant ecological research interest regarding feeding niche partitioning in sympatric and allopatric populations, with some species inhabiting saline lakes.
Chimarocephala pacifica
Painted Meadow Grasshopper, Painted Grasshopper
Chimarocephala pacifica is a band-winged grasshopper in the family Acrididae, commonly known as the painted meadow grasshopper. The species occurs in western North America and Central America, with subspecies C. p. pacifica and C. p. incisa recognized. Males produce acoustic signals through stridulation and vibration for sexual communication, while both sexes employ visual signals including a waving gesture.
Chimarocephala pacifica pacifica
A subspecies of band-winged grasshopper in the family Acrididae, known for its complex acoustic and visual communication behaviors. Males produce sounds by rubbing the inner surface of the hind femora against the tegmina. Sexual behavior is mediated through cyclic female receptivity phases, with males employing stridulations, vibrations, and visual signals to communicate with both sexes.
Chorthippus
slant-faced grasshoppers
Chorthippus is a large genus of gomphocerine grasshoppers comprising approximately 230 described species, predominantly distributed in the Palaearctic realm. The genus was erected by Franz Fieber in 1852 and has been subdivided into subgenera including Altichorthippus, Chorthippus, and Glyptobothrus. Many species within this genus are morphologically cryptic and difficult to distinguish visually, particularly in mainland Eurasia where song patterns serve as the primary means of species identification. The genus contains notable species groups such as the Chorthippus biguttulus group, which includes the common field grasshopper.
Chrysoperla harrisii
Harris's Green Lacewing
Chrysoperla harrisii is a green lacewing species in the family Chrysopidae, native to North America. Adults are predatory and feed on soft-bodied insects and honeydew. The species belongs to the Chrysoperla carnea-group, a complex of morphologically similar species that are difficult to distinguish without specialized techniques such as vibrational song analysis. Larvae are aggressive predators of aphids, mites, and other small arthropods, making this species valuable for biological pest control.
Chrysopidae
Green lacewings, lacewings, stinkflies, aphid lions, aphid wolves, junk bugs, trash bugs
Chrysopidae, commonly known as green lacewings, is a large family of neuropteran insects comprising approximately 85 genera and 1,300–2,000 species worldwide. Adults are delicate, often bright green insects with conspicuous golden compound eyes and translucent, iridescent wings with characteristic wide costal fields in the venation. Larvae are voracious predators nicknamed "aphid lions" or "trash bugs," known for carrying debris on their backs for camouflage while hunting soft-bodied prey. The family is economically significant as biological control agents, with millions reared annually for agricultural pest management.
Cicadettinae
Largeclasper Cicadas
Cicadettinae is a large subfamily of cicadas containing approximately 230 genera and 1,200 described species. Members are distributed globally across diverse habitats including eucalypt forests, grasslands, arid regions, and tropical woodlands. Male calling songs are species-specific and function in mate recognition; song structures vary from simple ticking or clicking to complex multi-element compositions. Many species are small to medium-sized and exhibit cryptic behavior, often remaining inconspicuous in vegetation.
Cicadettini
True Largeclasper Cicadas
Cicadettini is a large tribe of cicadas within the family Cicadidae, comprising at least 110 genera and over 520 described species. Members are distributed worldwide except for the Neotropics, with notable radiations in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the Palearctic. The tribe includes diverse ecological specialists, from grassland inhabitants to species associated with seasonal riverine floodplains. Many species produce species-specific acoustic signals used for mate recognition.
Cicadinae
translucent cicadas
Cicadinae is a large subfamily of cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) commonly known as the translucent cicadas. Members are typically robust with many species displaying bright coloration, though they generally lack the opaque, butterfly-like wing markings characteristic of the related subfamily Tibiceninae. The subfamily comprises multiple tribes and has undergone substantial taxonomic revision between 2010 and 2018 based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Some classification schemes merge Tibiceninae into Cicadinae partially or entirely.
Cicadomorpha
Spittlebugs, Cicadas, Leafhoppers and Treehoppers
Cicadomorpha is an infraorder of Hemiptera comprising approximately 35,000 described species worldwide, including cicadas, leafhoppers, treehoppers, and spittlebugs. The group has a fossil record extending to the Late Permian, with extinct families such as Palaeontinidae representing diverse Mesozoic lineages. All members are obligate plant-feeders utilizing specialized mouthparts for sap extraction. Many species produce acoustic signals or substrate vibrations for communication, with sound production mechanisms varying among superfamilies.
Cicadulini
Cicadulini is a tribe of leafhoppers within the subfamily Deltocephalinae, comprising 15 genera and over 120 described species. The tribe is characterized by acoustic communication through male calling signals, as documented in genera such as Taurotettix. Species within Cicadulini occur across diverse regions including Central Asia, Siberia, the Russian Far East, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and parts of Europe. The group has been studied for morphological variation and geographical variability in both form and sound production.
Conocephalinae
Coneheads and Meadow Katydids
Conocephalinae is a subfamily of katydids (family Tettigoniidae) comprising two main groups: meadow katydids (tribe Conocephalini, including genera Conocephalus and Orchelimum) and conehead katydids (tribe Copiphorini, including genera Neoconocephalus and Pyrgocorypha). Members are characterized by elongated bodies, long thread-like antennae, and often possess a distinctive forward-projecting cone or fastigium of the vertex. The subfamily is abundant in eastern North America and adjacent Canada, particularly in grasslands, wetlands, and meadows. Many species are known for their stridulatory songs produced by rubbing forewings together, and they exhibit diverse feeding habits ranging from herbivory to opportunistic predation.
Conocephalini
Common Meadow Katydids
Conocephalini is a tribe of katydids within the subfamily Conocephalinae, commonly known as meadow katydids and conehead katydids. Members are among the most abundant orthopterans in eastern North America and adjacent Canada. The tribe includes genera such as Conocephalus (lesser meadow katydids), Neoconocephalus (conehead katydids), and Orchelimum (greater meadow katydids). Many species exhibit omnivorous feeding habits and produce species-specific acoustic signals for mate attraction.
Conocephalus attenuatus
Long-tailed Meadow Katydid, Lance-tailed Meadow Katydid
Conocephalus attenuatus is a meadow katydid species in the family Tettigoniidae, found in North America. It is commonly known as the long-tailed meadow katydid or lance-tailed meadow katydid, referencing its distinctive elongated ovipositor. The species belongs to the subfamily Conocephalinae, a group abundant in grassland and wetland habitats of eastern North America. Like other meadow katydids, it produces species-specific acoustic signals through stridulation for mate attraction.
Copiphorini
Coneheads
Copiphorini is a tribe of katydids (Tettigoniidae) within the subfamily Conocephalinae, characterized by a distinctive cone-shaped projection on the head that extends forward in front of the antennae base. Members range from 24 to 74 mm in length, with females typically larger than males. The tribe was originally described as a subfamily (Copiphorinae) by Karny in 1912 but has been reclassified. Species produce loud songs through forewing stridulation and possess straight, slender, toothless ovipositors.
Corixidae
Water Boatmen, Lesser Water Boatmen
Corixidae is a family of aquatic true bugs in the order Hemiptera, commonly known as water boatmen or lesser water boatmen. The family comprises approximately 500 species across 33-55 genera distributed worldwide in freshwater habitats, with a few species inhabiting saline waters. Members are distinguished from similar aquatic bugs by their right-side-up swimming posture, flattened body shape, and modified front legs adapted for feeding. The family exhibits diverse feeding strategies including herbivory, carnivory, detritivory, and omnivory.
Cornuplura nigroalbata
Western Pinto Cicada
Cornuplura nigroalbata is a rarely collected cicada species first described by Davis in 1936. The species exhibits a distinctive black and white color pattern. Males produce amplitude-modulated calling songs with a dominant frequency of approximately 6.5 kHz. The Arizona population represents the northernmost known extension of the species' range.
Cyphoderris
Hump-winged Grigs
Cyphoderris is a genus of primitive orthopterans known as hump-winged grigs, representing a relict lineage of the ancient family Haglidae (now Prophalangopsidae). These cold-adapted, nocturnal insects are restricted to high-elevation coniferous forests and sagebrush meadows of western North America. Males produce acoustic signals by rubbing their forewings together to attract females. The genus exhibits unusual reproductive biology in which females feed on male metathoracic wing tissue during copulation, and males provide substantial proteinaceous spermatophores. Only three species are currently recognized: C. strepitans, C. buckelli, and C. monstrosa.
Cyphoderris buckelli
Buckell's grig
Cyphoderris buckelli is a cold-adapted, hump-winged cricket (family Prophalangopsidae) found in high-elevation coniferous forests of western North America. Males produce acoustic calling songs and modify their chirp duty cycle in response to nearby conspecific males, though they do not defend fixed territories. The species exhibits low site fidelity and extensive male displacement between nights.
Cyphoderris monstrosa
Great Grig, Monster Haglid
Cyphoderris monstrosa is a relict species of hump-winged grig in the family Prophalangopsidae, one of only seven extant species in a family with over 90 known fossil species. This small orthopteran inhabits coniferous forests of western North America, where males produce high-pitched trilling calls at sundown to attract mates and defend territories. The species exhibits several unusual traits, including a unique mating ritual in which females feed on male hind wings during copulation, and dual sound-producing structures—males use tegminal stridulation while females and juveniles use the Ander's organ.
Dendroctonus adjunctus
roundheaded pine beetle
Dendroctonus adjunctus, commonly known as the roundheaded pine beetle, is a bark beetle native to North America that infests and kills pine trees. Adults are 5–6 mm long with shiny, dark brown to black exoskeletons covered in hairs. The species has a one-year life cycle, with adults colonizing weakened pine trees in autumn, constructing extensive egg galleries in the cambium and phloem. Outbreaks can be devastating, killing up to 50% of pines in pure stands. The beetle is distributed across the southwestern United States and Mexico, and is considered a serious pest of commercial and wild pine stocks.
Dendroctonus valens
Red Turpentine Beetle
Dendroctonus valens is a bark beetle native to North and Central America, ranging from Canada to Honduras. In its native range, it primarily colonizes stumps of freshly cut trees and stressed or damaged conifers, causing minimal economic damage. Following its accidental introduction to China in the mid-1990s, likely via wood packaging material, it has become a highly destructive invasive pest. In China, it attacks healthy as well as stressed pine trees, particularly Pinus tabuliformis, and has killed over six million trees. The species exhibits complex mating behavior involving acoustic signals and chemical pheromones, and maintains symbiotic relationships with fungi and bacteria that assist in nutrition and detoxification of host plant defenses.
Diceroprocta knighti
Dusty Flag-Bearer
Diceroprocta knighti is a cicada species in the family Cicadidae, distributed across the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Like other members of its genus, it is an annual cicada with a multi-year nymphal stage spent underground feeding on tree and shrub roots. Adults emerge during summer months, with males producing species-specific acoustic signals to attract females. The species is part of the diverse cicada fauna of the Sonoran Desert region, where it co-occurs with related congeners at different elevations.
cicadaDiceroproctaSonoran-Desertannual-cicadaHemipteraCicadidaeacoustic-communicationroot-feeding-nymphssummer-emergencesouthwestern-North-Americaxylem-feederdesert-arthropodinsect-songmulti-year-life-cycletymbal-organmonsoon-associated-emergenceCicadinaeFidicininiDavis-1917Dusty-Flag-BearerArizonaCaliforniaBaja-CaliforniaSinaloaSonoraMexicoUnited-Statesarthropodinsecttrue-bugAuchenorrhynchaCicadomorphaCicadoideaGuyalninaDrepana arcuata
Arched Hooktip Moth, masked birch caterpillar
Drepana arcuata, commonly known as the arched hooktip moth, is a North American species in the hooktip moth family Drepanidae. Adults are active from mid-May through late July, with one generation per year in northern populations. The species is notable for its larvae, which produce sounds through body vibrations, drumming, scraping mouthparts, and specialized anal structures—possibly to communicate and attract other larvae to communal silk shelters.
Empyreuma
spotted oleander caterpillar moth
Empyreuma is a genus of tiger moths in the family Erebidae, containing three species. The genus name derives from the Greek ἐμπύρευμα, meaning "a live coal covered with ashes." Adults exhibit striking aposematic coloration with orange and black patterns that mimic stinging wasps. Larvae feed exclusively on oleander (Nerium oleander), a toxic plant containing cardiac glycosides that the caterpillars sequester for their own defense. The genus is notable for its acoustic courtship behavior, with males producing sounds detected by female tympanic organs.
Galleriinae
wax moths, snout moths
The Galleriinae are a subfamily of snout moths (Pyralidae) with approximately 306 described species distributed worldwide. This subfamily includes the commercially significant wax moths, whose larvae (waxworms) are mass-produced as pet food and fishing bait. Several species are economically important pests: wax moths (Achroia and Galleria) damage honeybee colonies, while others such as the rice moth (Corcyra cephalonica) infest stored food products. The subfamily exhibits notable morphological diversity, with five recognized tribes including the recently described Joelminetiini (2007).
Gargara
Gargara is a genus of treehoppers in the family Membracidae, subfamily Centrotinae, tribe Gargarini. The genus was established by Amyot and Audinet-Serville in 1843. Species in this genus are distributed across the Palearctic region, with documented occurrences in Russia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Denmark, and Norway. The Gargara genistae species group contains cryptic species that are morphologically nearly identical but distinguished by male calling signal patterns.
Gomphocerinae
slant-faced grasshoppers
Gomphocerinae is a large subfamily of grasshoppers comprising at least 192 genera and 1,274 species distributed across every continent except Antarctica and Australia. Members are commonly known as slant-faced grasshoppers due to their characteristic head morphology. The subfamily is distinguished by a uniform femoral stridulatory mechanism used for acoustic communication, and exhibits remarkable diversity in calling songs and courtship behaviors. Many species inhabit grasslands and serve as important components of terrestrial food webs, though some are significant agricultural pests.